Big mistake! letting go of Horton . They should have signed him way before his contract was terminated. Natham loved Boston - he's a top 3 forward but Chiarelli and company wanted to wait til the end - thats what you get. Horton wanted to sign Pc wanted to wait and see how he recovered from his injury and how he'd do in playoffs, sure Pc how dumb do you think Horton is? Thanks for destroying the number one line in hockey .

Does seem to be the story out there that Horton wanted to sighn an extension but Chirelli wanted to wait till after play offs were over to see how he did,not sure if true or not probably never will know for sure.

Big mistake! letting go of Horton . They should have signed him way before his contract was terminated. Natham loved Boston - he's a top 3 forward but Chiarelli and company wanted to wait til the end - thats what you get. Horton wanted to sign Pc wanted to wait and see how he recovered from his injury and how he'd do in playoffs, sure Pc how dumb do you think Horton is? Thanks for destroying the number one line in hockey .

I have a feeling he's going to Toronto

I don't think that PC could have signed him and remained under the cap, or at least he would have had to shed some current contract, but even then I don't think they could fit him. We'll see what he signs for, but I don't think the numbers would work.

Big mistake! letting go of Horton . They should have signed him way before his contract was terminated. Natham loved Boston - he's a top 3 forward but Chiarelli and company wanted to wait til the end - thats what you get. Horton wanted to sign Pc wanted to wait and see how he recovered from his injury and how he'd do in playoffs, sure Pc how dumb do you think Horton is? Thanks for destroying the number one line in hockey .

I have a feeling he's going to Toronto

I don't think that PC could have signed him and remained under the cap, or at least he would have had to shed some current contract, but even then I don't think they could fit him. We'll see what he signs for, but I don't think the numbers would work.

Primarily I think Horton is a cap casualty.

A player like Horton , you need to sign - he's just too vital for the team. they have the money all they need to do is put Savard on LTIR and if that;s not enough then use the buyouts that's what they're there for but sign Horton and he did want to stay here but Pc didnt approach it very well .

Watch the difficulties will have in trying to replace him - it is going to be in my opinion an unplesant journey

Big mistake! letting go of Horton . They should have signed him way before his contract was terminated. Natham loved Boston - he's a top 3 forward but Chiarelli and company wanted to wait til the end - thats what you get. Horton wanted to sign Pc wanted to wait and see how he recovered from his injury and how he'd do in playoffs, sure Pc how dumb do you think Horton is? Thanks for destroying the number one line in hockey .

I have a feeling he's going to Toronto

I don't think that PC could have signed him and remained under the cap, or at least he would have had to shed some current contract, but even then I don't think they could fit him. We'll see what he signs for, but I don't think the numbers would work.

Primarily I think Horton is a cap casualty.

A player like Horton , you need to sign - he's just too vital for the team. they have the money all they need to do is put Savard on LTIR and if that;s not enough then use the buyouts that's what they're there for but sign Horton and he did want to stay here but Pc didnt approach it very well .

Watch the difficulties will have in trying to replace him - it is going to be in my opinion an unplesant journey

I agree with you buy out Peverly 3.2 mil or Kelly 3 mil for what penalty killers,Paille only gets 1.3 mil and is a much better player.

marco, you may want to brush up on the salary cap and the subsequent cap reduction that prompted all of this. Given that, I think it was fairly obvious why PC waited longer to sign people. A good thing since Tuukka will now cost more that what everyone projected a few months ago. Some tough decisions need to be made.

With all do respect to Horton, if he doesn't want to be here, then I don't want him here. You're suggesting that the Bruins should overlap contracts and overpay just to keep Horton from leaving. That's a terrible management strategy and if the Bruins perennial status as Cup contender doesn't interest Horton, then he should play somewhere else. More important than Horton are contracts for Rask and Bergeron, and several others. If Horton wants to leave, I don't wnat PC jumping through hoops and risking other key parts to keep him.

PC approached this the right way. Horton didn't. If he was on the "number one line in hockey" as you state, and he played in two Stanley Cups over three years -- that's plenty of reason to want to stay.

i'd like to have kept Horton but he wants his big payday ( he's earned it) and he will have to get it elsewhere. he's been a good playoff guy but pretty inconsistent during the regular season, replaceable imo

marco, you may want to brush up on the salary cap and the subsequent cap reduction that prompted all of this. Given that, I think it was fairly obvious why PC waited longer to sign people. A good thing since Tuukka will now cost more that what everyone projected a few months ago. Some tough decisions need to be made.

With all do respect to Horton, if he doesn't want to be here, then I don't want him here. You're suggesting that the Bruins should overlap contracts and overpay just to keep Horton from leaving. That's a terrible management strategy and if the Bruins perennial status as Cup contender doesn't interest Horton, then he should play somewhere else. More important than Horton are contracts for Rask and Bergeron, and several others. If Horton wants to leave, I don't wnat PC jumping through hoops and risking other key parts to keep him.

PC approached this the right way. Horton didn't. If he was on the "number one line in hockey" as you state, and he played in two Stanley Cups over three years -- that's plenty of reason to want to stay.

Fletch, I am saying Horton wanted to stay - why would he not! he didnt appreciate PC waiting til the end and so the feeling was not mutual. Are u saying that players should be happy to play in boston and take less then what they would elsewhere. That is wishful thinking especially with a player of high skill . "Jumping through hoops" anyone in hockey would keep a guy like horton even if it meant buying out a Pev or a Kelly. Now if you are ok with early playoff exits and being frustrated cause the bruins just cannot score anymore- well then ok but i am not. Just go back 2 years ago against Washington - expect much more of that.

If he's looking at 5-6 years in contract length and big money no way. His health is not gonna last that long and he takes lots of nights off. He had a great playoff and will cash in. Good for him. He'll miss his old linemates for sure. That line sleepwalked throught the regular season but sure turned it on when needed. But ya gotta wonder why he's not listening to offers from the B's.

Horton is a great example of a guy who is a terrible reg. season player, or underachiever who can turn it on in the playoffs. However, you can't give money to a guy based solely on a postseason performance. IT'S THE REGULAR SEASON THAT HELPS YOU GET TO THE POSTSEASON OR SETS YOU UP FOR THE POSTSEASON. Michael Ryder was gone the moment the 11 Cup playoffs were over, and so is Horton. They both had no intention of coming back to the B's at a lower salary than what they could make outside of Boston--this is business and hockey is a business. You can't blame Horton or Ryder, and you can't blame the B's for not overpaying both or trying too hard to keep guys who had the unfortunate rep of going into long fogs in the reg. season, but could score some key goals in the playoffs. They replaced Ryder, they can replace Horton.

Horton is a great example of a guy who is a terrible reg. season player, or underachiever who can turn it on in the playoffs. However, you can't give money to a guy based solely on a postseason performance. IT'S THE REGULAR SEASON THAT HELPS YOU GET TO THE POSTSEASON OR SETS YOU UP FOR THE POSTSEASON. Michael Ryder was gone the moment the 11 Cup playoffs were over, and so is Horton. They both had no intention of coming back to the B's at a lower salary than what they could make outside of Boston--this is business and hockey is a business. You can't blame Horton or Ryder, and you can't blame the B's for not overpaying both or trying too hard to keep guys who had the unfortunate rep of going into long fogs in the reg. season, but could score some key goals in the playoffs. They replaced Ryder, they can replace Horton.

Fletch, I am saying Horton wanted to stay - why would he not! he didnt appreciate PC waiting til the end and so the feeling was not mutual. Are u saying that players should be happy to play in boston and take less then what they would elsewhere. That is wishful thinking especially with a player of high skill . "Jumping through hoops" anyone in hockey would keep a guy like horton even if it meant buying out a Pev or a Kelly. Now if you are ok with early playoff exits and being frustrated cause the bruins just cannot score anymore- well then ok but i am not. Just go back 2 years ago against Washington - expect much more of that.

So you're in the coddling of players camp -- sign them extra early and overpay so that their feelings aren't hurt about having to play out their existing contract. C'mon.

Horton's a big boy. If he wanted to be signed early, for some reason, he should have expressed that to PC, which he did not from all accounts.

"Anyone in hockey" would NOT keep Horton. Not with the cap situation. He is gonna cost big money and it is very debatable whether or not he is worth, given that he probably wants a 5 year contract. It very easy to look at a guy and say "sign him! No matter what". But PC has to make real choices. A big 5 year contract for Horton means somebody else can't stay. Might be Rask. Might be Bergeron.

I'm surprised that you think Horton is the only difference between success and early playoff exits. Get one thing straight -- the Bruins gave Horton a shot at the Cup. Not the other way around. Check out his career before Boston.

I thought he was great here. I always liked him. But I don't think he is one of the top five pieces on this team (Chara, Rask, Bergeron, Krejci, Lucic) and something has gotta give. PC and a little flexibility has been a good thing in the past. Let's wait and see.

Now if you are ok with early playoff exits and being frustrated cause the bruins just cannot score anymore- well then ok but i am not.

Might want to have another look at the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals before typing that sentence. Do you recall who wasn't actually playing while the Bruins blew out the Canucks and won four out of five games to bombard their way to the Cup, in an offensive explosion??

Don't pretend they can't do it without Horton, because they did. In very convincing fashion.

Davey- i really do not like wasting my time but i will explain this once.

based on what u said - they should get rid of krejci too!

This makes ZERO sense. Krejci consistently gets around 50 points a season. Why would they get rid of him? "IT'S THE REGULAR SEASON THAT HELPS YOU GET TO THE POSTSEASON OR SETS YOU UP FOR THE POSTSEASON".- This was said by danny - Now if u follow the bruins u would know that krejci has not fared well in reg season certainly not what we expected . horton has done about the same in reg season (with much ,oye PIM's). Hence. if we should not sign Horton since he apparently does not do well in reg season then we do not sign krejci either.

I say u need both - even f Horton has his off days in reg season so does Krejci, every player does -

yes i do- i also know that we got to the finals because of him- You can handle a few games without him but not a long stretch- best plus or minus player -

Now if you are ok with early playoff exits and being frustrated cause the bruins just cannot score anymore- well then ok but i am not.

Might want to have another look at the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals before typing that sentence. Do you recall who wasn't actually playing while the Bruins blew out the Canucks and won four out of five games to bombard their way to the Cup, in an offensive explosion??

Don't pretend they can't do it without Horton, because they did. In very convincing fashion.

The other unknown about Horton is if he had signed a lucrative 5 yr deal before or during the season who knows what numbers he would have put up in the playoffs. The pressure is off then,right? Knowing how underwhelming his regular season was he knew he better show something in the playoffs or a pay cut might be forthcoming.

The question i have is, for a guy who loved his team, loved Boston, loved his teammates and wanted to stay based on year end interviews, what happened? I mean we can speculate that his wife didn't like Boston but he should have known that before exit interviews, this wouldn't have just popped up. All he had to say to PC was he wanted to think it over. If his agent says it isn't financial, i find that disingenuous, i mean for a guy that was so happy playing for the B's,wants to stay and then says he wants to leave and it's not about the money ? C'mon,man up Nate.

yes i do- i also know that we got to the finals because of him- You can handle a few games without him but not a long stretch- best plus or minus player -

Now if you are ok with early playoff exits and being frustrated cause the bruins just cannot score anymore- well then ok but i am not.

Might want to have another look at the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals before typing that sentence. Do you recall who wasn't actually playing while the Bruins blew out the Canucks and won four out of five games to bombard their way to the Cup, in an offensive explosion??

Don't pretend they can't do it without Horton, because they did. In very convincing fashion.

Are you "okay" with that?

You do realize that nathan had 8 goals in 21 games in cup yr- i stand correct it with those types of stats - it is a certainty we can do without him

I agree with Fletch. I like Horton more than most but if he doesn't want to be in Boston then I don't want him in Boston. I hold no ill will for him exercising his right to become a free agent. He earned it.

c) Who says the Bs didn't try to extend him? Players want to go to UFA and get paid.

d) You can't just throw money at players who sleepwalk through the regular season and have a good playoffs.

I like Horton. I think he's an excellent player. So do a bunch of GMs, and he'll get a sizeable contract. But if salary has to be dumped, his isn't the worst contract to go. Let's chill and see where the chips fall. Another forward will be added. We just don't know how it's going to piece together yet.

c) Who says the Bs didn't try to extend him? Players want to go to UFA and get paid.

d) You can't just throw money at players who sleepwalk through the regular season and have a good playoffs.

I like Horton. I think he's an excellent player. So do a bunch of GMs, and he'll get a sizeable contract. But if salary has to be dumped, his isn't the worst contract to go. Let's chill and see where the chips fall. Another forward will be added. We just don't know how it's going to piece together yet.